King David died when he was 70 years old. We are lucky, even with modern medicine, to live much beyond that. Some are fortunate enough to live well into their 80s or 90s. However, even then, our lives are still brief compared to eternity.
Indeed, we are only temporary residents on this earth. King David knew this well and asked God to impress this knowledge upon his mind and heart:
Lord, make me to know my end
And what is the extent of my days;
Let me know how transient I am. (Psalm 39:4)
Despite his failures, David was a good king. He was a man after God’s heart, not because he was perfect but because he always eventually confessed and returned to God when he failed. By the end of his life, he was worn out and ready to enter the Father’s joy.
While our citizenship is in heaven, we are called in the here-and-now to be ambassadors for Christ, making appeals to all people to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20).
This teaching is based on Ken Boa’s Handbook to Scripture.
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